


Minute to Midnight

by dsa_archivist



Category: due South
Genre: Challenge Response, M/M, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2001-01-15
Updated: 2001-01-15
Packaged: 2018-11-10 13:41:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11128056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dsa_archivist/pseuds/dsa_archivist
Summary: Ray goes on the run, but the Mountie tracks him down.





	Minute to Midnight

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Speranza, the archivist: this story was once archived at [Due South Archive](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Due_South_Archive). To preserve the archive, I began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in June 2017. I tried to reach out to all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Due South Archive collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/duesoutharchive).

(Type a title for your page here)

 

 

Disclaimer:  Not mine, not yours, and not the author's.  No  
harm, no foul,  
no profit, no suit.  
  
Rating: R  
  
Title: "Minute to Midnight"  
  
Mail:  
  
Notes. What can I say? I love the comic element of Due South and sometimes  
I can't help myself. Thanks to Mary for the swift beta before viewing  
for the ANON challenge over at The Closet.  
  
  
  
"Good evening, this is the Canadian consulate, Constable Turnbull  
speaking,  
how may I assist you?"  
  
"Is Fraser about, Turnbull?"  
  
"Ahhh, Detective Vecchio."  Ray could almost hear the  
frown of  
concentration on Turnbull's face.  "About in  
what sense, sir?"  
  
Ray kept the sarcasm limited to his face.  "In the sense of  
maybe being there?"  
  
"No, Constable Fraser left some moments ago.  May I be of some  
assistance?  As a member of Her Majesty's Royal Canadian Mounted  
Police I  
am, therefore, more than capable of..."  
  
Ray hung his head.  Visions of Turnbull doing to him what he wanted  
Fraser  
to do to floated into range.  
  
"No no, it's ok.  See ya."  
  
"Goodbye, Detect..." Ray hung up the phone, not exactly wanting  
to hear  
Turnbull go on and on.  
  
Sighing, Ray threw himself into his paper work again, hoping that Fraser  
wasn't coming here.  A guilty glance over at his Far Side desk  
calendar  
told him that today was the day. Today was the day he had  
chosen to tell  
Fraser, if the Mountie hadn't already told him first.   
Just thinking about  
it these last couple of days had sent the butterflies  
in his stomach into a  
whirlwind. If he turned up before midnight  
then he'd have little choice but  
to go through with it.  He'd  
sworn on the hood of his GTO that he would.  
  
This thought perked him up a little.  Yeah, if he could just avoid  
Fraser  
then he wouldn't have to tell him.  And if he could  
stay out of his way  
until midnight, then all bets were off.   
The deal would be null and void.  
  
"Hey Fraser."  
  
Head jerking up at that, he heard rather than saw Frannie catching Fraser  
out in the hall.  
  
"Damn!"  
  
Jumping to his feet, Ray was about to bolt when Welsh caught him.  
  
"Ahh, Detective Vecchio."  Welsh looked at him as he had  
just grabbed his  
coat off the back of his chair.  "I hope  
that you're not feeling too cold  
out here?"  
  
Ray was lost.  
  
"Cold, sir?"  
  
"Yes, Detective.  Cold.  For I can only assume, seeing  
as you are scheduled  
to meet with Internal Affairs, that the putting  
on of a coat implies that  
you're cold rather than you are about  
to leave the building."  
  
Ray shivered, covering up his near mistake.  "Cold for the  
time of year  
Lieut, ain't it?  I mean, you gotta wear a coat  
inside when it gets this  
cold.  Saves on heating bills."   
Oh, just great Kowalski.  Great  
tactic.  Convince your  
boss you're a moron why don't you.  
  
Welsh gave him about all of the smile he could muster before  
replying.   
"Yeah, all of this I.A. frost could really freeze your balls off."  
  
Glancing back Ray could see Dief coming into the room.  
  
"Understood, Lieutenant."  He gave him a cheery little  
salute as Welsh  
turned and went back into his office before running  
off in the direction of  
the lunchroom.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Fraser watched as Francesca gave a small pout of annoyance.  "He's  
in  
there, Fraser."  
  
"Thank you kindly."  
  
Following Dief into the bullpen, Fraser looked and saw no sign of Ray.  
  
"Constable?"  
  
"Ah, Lieutenant.  How are you this evening?"  
  
"I've had better, Fraser.  You seen Vecchio?"  
  
Fraser gave a small smile. "No, sir.  In fact, I was just about  
to enquire  
of you as to where he might have gone?"  
  
Welsh sighed and rubbed his eyes.  
  
"He'd better be in this building, Constable, 'cause I.A. are looking  
for him."  
  
This immediately caught his attention.  "Is there something  
wrong, sir?  I  
know Ray would never..."  
  
Welsh cut him off.  "No, no, it's nothing like that.   
Some partner of Ray's  
from before was caught taking money from the  
mob.  Kowalski needs to give a  
statement.  That's it.   
But from what happened last time, I want him here  
when they arrive.   
I do not want a repeat performance of last time with  
this department  
appearing like it can't keep track of its Detectives  
again.   
So if I were you, Constable, I'd find your friend and make sure  
he's seated right there," he pointed at Ray's chair just for good  
measure.  
"When they come callin'.  Clear?"  
  
"As mud, sir.  Don't worry, if he's in the building, I'll find  
him."  
  
Fraser watched as Welsh went back into his office.  A smile tugged  
at the  
corners of his mouth.  If anyone had actually seen it  
would have spoke  
volumes for just how much Fraser was going to enjoy  
this.  The Mountie set  
out to get his man.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Ray had gone straight from the lunchroom with his coffee to Interview  
room  
one.  The late shift was quiet tonight, and no one was  
using it.  He  
figured if Fraser came looking for him, he wouldn't  
find him here and just  
go home. But just in case...  
  
* * * * *  
  
Fraser knelt down beside his companion Diefenbaker and took hold of his  
snout, making the wolf look at him.  "Dief, go find Ray."  
  
Fraser smiled.  This was going to be no challenge at all.  
  
He followed Dief until he was standing outside the closet.  Smiling  
Fraser  
opened the door.  
  
"You know Ray..."  
  
Whatever he had been going to say was cut short by the fact that Ray's  
coat  
lay on the ground, on top of which sat several donuts.  
  
Donuts, which Dief was soon happily eating.  
  
He shook his head, sighing.  "You are so easily bought,  
Diefenbaker."  Giving the wolf a glare and receiving plain  
and clear just  
how little that meant to him in the face of donuts  
with jam, Fraser left  
the wolf to it.  
  
Standing, Fraser gave the air a sniff and then licked his finger before  
holding it up into the air.  He knew people where watching  
him and he knew  
that they knew he was looking for Ray.  He  
didn't want people thinking that  
Ray could so easily outwit him.   
Smiling again, he began a systematic  
search of the entire station,  
starting with the front desk.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Dewey watched as Fraser set off for the front desk.  
  
"Hey, ya think Fraser'll find him?"  
  
"Find Ray?  Sure.  I guess.  I mean, he's a Mountie  
right?  He's got all  
those tracking skills."  
  
"Yeah, but this is the urban environment.  Ray's home ground.   
I think Ray  
can take him."  
  
Huey looked at him.  "You think?"  
  
Dewey looked back.  "Yeah."  
  
"Wanna make a bet of it?"  
  
"Yeah.  Ok.  I bet that Fraser doesn't find Ray.   
How much?"  
  
"Oh no.  This isn't about money.  If I win, you get the  
spare steering  
wheel for a month.  Agreed?"  
  
Dewey smiled and stuck out his hand.  "Agreed."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Ray was pacing the room within 10 minutes when Dewey came into the room.  
  
"Somethin' I can help you with?"  
  
Dewey shrugged, leaning against the wall.  "Nah, but I have  
something that  
might interest you."  
  
Ray eyed the detective more carefully.  "Yeah, like what?"  
  
"Information.  Welsh has set Fraser onto you.  In fact..."  
Dewey leaned  
back and looked out the door.  "I'd say he's  
gonna be here any minute."  
  
Dewey watched as Ray pushed past him a little and looked out into the  
hall.  He didn't know why the Detective was avoiding Fraser  
but he was  
having way too much fun with it to care.  
  
Ray could see Dief's backend and tail poking out of the closet.   
He smiled  
at that.  So far his plan had worked.  Now,  
if only Fraser would go home  
like a good little Mountie, Ray wouldn't  
feel obliged to tell him 'the  
secret' and face losing him for good.  
  
"Why's he so keen to get me anyways?"  
  
"Oh, Welsh just wanted to make sure you stay inside.  Now,  
from what I  
hear, if you hadn't've run off on your own little personal  
crusade last  
time I.A. were in town, he'd probably have just relied  
on your pager to get  
you here."  
  
Ray pulled back to look at him.  
  
"What's this got to do with you anyways?"  
  
Dewey threw up his hands.  "Hey, if a guy can't help out another  
guy in  
times of trouble, then what the hell is the world comin'  
to huh?"  
  
"Keep spinning it, Dewey."  He double checked the hall  
way again and made a  
break for it.  He had to find somewhere  
else to hide.  
  
  
* * * * *  
  
Fraser made his way to the interrogation rooms, just in time to see Dewey  
come out with a large smile on his face.  
  
"Ah, Detective Dewey.  You wouldn't have by any chance..."  
  
"Sorry, Fraser, nope, haven't seen Ray all day."  
  
Fraser watched in puzzlement as he walked back into the bullpen.  
  
Stepping into the room, Fraser saw the empty cup of coffee still sitting  
on  
the table.  Lifting it, it still felt warm.  Next,  
he sniffed the air;  
Ray's favorite cologne still hung heavy in the  
room.  Fraser allowed  
himself a smile, as no one else was present.   
He loved the way Ray smelled,  
all aftershave with a hint of the  
musk that was pure Ray.  
  
Abruptly, he shook his head.  This was getting him nowhere while  
trying to  
give him a hard on.  Pulling back a little from the  
brink that was Ray, he  
set off in pursuit again.  He had his  
scent now.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Ray's hand froze on the handle of the door.  God, but he hated this  
place.  Dead people gave him the willies.  Still, he figured  
that since  
Fraser knew that he wouldn't even think of looking in  
here, so he would be  
safe for a while.  He glanced at his watch.   
Only fifteen minutes to go.  
  
"I can do this.  I can do this."  
  
Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door, his heart telling him  
he was  
a real coward for not opening up to Fraser.  That this  
was the easy way  
out.  But he didn't care.  He couldn't  
risk telling Fraser he loved  
him.  Fraser would be all polite,  
maybe quote how many people in Chicago  
were gay, compare it to the  
Yukon, then tell him he was straight and then  
add misery to misery  
by saying that it wouldn't change anything.  But it  
would.   
It would be the end to Ray's fantasy where he and Fraser lived  
happily  
ever after while having mind-blowing sex on a daily basis.  And  
right now that fantasy was all he had and he wasn't about to have  
Fraser  
put an end to it for him with the truth.  
  
He stepped inside and turned on the lights, finding all the guests had  
at  
least been put away for the night.  Sighing, he sat down  
at the desk and  
found an old newspaper.  He couldn't help but  
look behind him every once in  
a while, certain that someone was  
watching.  Someone dead.  He  
shivered.  With nothing  
better to do, and hoping it would take his mind off  
his location  
he opened up the paper till he found the cross word and  
started  
in on it.  But not before he had another look at his watch.  
  
Thirteen minutes and counting.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Fraser stopped outside the men's toilets.  "This is getting  
ridiculous, its  
almost as if..."  
  
He stopped.  Ray was avoiding him on purpose.  A sudden blush  
started to  
rise on his face.  Maybe he hadn't gotten away with  
it after all.  
  
* * * * * FLASHBACK * * * * *  
  
"You good, Frase?"  
  
"Just a little sore from when the cow fell on me Ray, but I'm fine  
now,  
thank you."  
  
Ray shook his head.  "You don't look fine."  Normally,  
Fraser would have  
seen a move like that coming, but Ray's hand was  
suddenly on his face,  
feeling the area where Norton had hit him.   
They'd been investigating the  
death of a vet in downtown Chicago  
and in true Fraser fashion it had led to  
an unexpected and unusual  
adventure.  Ray was seated beside him in the car,  
and was currently  
examining a tender spot on Fraser's face.  
  
Unfortunately, another tender spot suddenly got a lot more so, and Fraser  
while momentarily stunned (you've seen the look, the one just before  
the  
rabbit goes 'splat!') had leaned into the touch, letting sensation  
blind  
him to reality.  
  
Then he'd pulled away, the thought running through his head of that time  
Ray had let him drive the GTO, that not only had he managed to walk  
within  
a car, he'd also just accomplished running.  
  
"Could you take me back to the consulate, Ray?  I'm feeling  
a little tired."  
  
The expression on Ray's face puzzled Fraser for a second, but then it  
was  
gone, and Ray took him home.  
  
* * * * *  
  
He pulled at the collar of his uniform.  If Ray had seen how aroused  
he'd  
become from his touch yesterday then it was no wonder he was  
avoiding him  
right now.  A thought came into his mind.   
He needed Ray, that much was  
pretty evident even to him, but if  
he couldn't have him as a partner, then  
he would have to make do  
with having him as a colleague.  
  
He thought for a second.  Where would be the last place Ray would  
go, but  
without leaving the station?  Having the answer within  
seconds, Fraser got  
to his feet and took a deep breath.  To  
save his friendship, he was going  
to lie.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Ray heard footsteps approach the morgue and with nothing better to do,  
he  
got up and looked thought the glass.  Red.  Red was  
heading his way.  
  
"Shit!"  
  
Without even thinking Ray ran over to one of the empty tables and threw  
himself on it, covering himself with one of those horrible green  
blankets.  He forced himself to calm down.  Fraser could  
hear a specific  
pin drop in a deluge of pins dropping.  He  
had to be quiet.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Fraser pushed open the door and immediately, despite the usual smells  
that  
went with the place, smelled Ray's cologne.  
  
Eyes fell on the slab, the soft light making it hard, but not impossible  
to  
see the gentle rise and fall of someone breathing underneath  
it.  
  
Another deep breath to steel himself, Fraser went over, pulling back  
the cover.  
  
"Hello, Ray."  
  
Fraser saw Ray colour.  "Fraser!  Hey, how's it hang...Emmm.   
What ya doin'?"  
  
"I could ask the same of you.  Its not often I find you in  
the mortuary,  
and on a slab no less."  
  
"Yeah, well..."  
  
"It's all right, Ray.  I know you're avoiding me, it's my fault  
entirely."  
  
Ray sat up.  
  
"It is?  How do you figure that one out huh?"  Ray  
looked at his watch.  23:55.  
  
"Well," Fraser could feel his cheeks start to colour again,  
his throat  
closing.  "Its...I, well..."  
  
Ray shook his head, forgetting his earlier attempts to stay clear of  
his  
friend.  Just looking at him now, lost for words, reminded  
him of just why  
he loved him.  
  
"Just spit it out, Fraser."  He put a hand on his arm,  
trying to steady his  
friend.  
  
"Well, after what happened yesterday, I wanted to apologize."  
  
"Fraser, it wasn't your fault that the cow fell off that roof, if  
anything  
it was suicide...  
  
His friend cut him off.  "No, Ray, not that."  He  
jerked his head to the  
left a little for a couple of nods.   
"What happened in the car..?"  
  
Ray nodded at that as if he understood.  Then he shook it in complete  
bewilderment.  "What happened in the car, Fraser?"  
  
Fraser gulped, the words rushing out before he could think properly.   
"My  
unfortunate timing.  I assure you it was not directed  
at you, but was  
rather a result of the adrenaline that had flooded  
my system..."  
  
Ray looked at him.  Fraser was lying.  As to what he didn't  
have a  
clue.  He closed his eyes briefly, thinking back.   
He still couldn't  
believe he'd touched him like that, then Fraser  
had pulled back, and he had  
thought it was because of him.  
  
Now though, Fraser seemed to think it was about something else.   
"Not  
directed at me...?"  
  
His eyes widened as he realized what he was talking about.  
  
"Oh my God."  
  
Suddenly, Ray's cell phone rang.  Hands ransacked his pockets looking  
for  
it, fumbling it until he had answered it, his eyes never moving  
from Fraser's.  
  
"Vecchio.  Yeah.  Right.  Ok, Lieutenant.  Thanks."   
He snapped the phone  
shut.  "I.A. no longer needs me.   
Stalker admitted to everything."  
  
Fraser nodded.  "It's good to see your ex-partner admit to  
the truth."  
  
Ray swung his feet off the table.  "And what about my current  
one?  Hell,  
what about me?  The truth shall set you free."   
He looked up at  
Fraser.  "Ain't that the way it goes?"  
  
"I suppose so, yes Ray."  
  
"Right."  He looked at his watch.  One minute to  
midnight.  
  
"Fraser, I love you."  
  
"And I you, Ray."  
  
The Chicago cop shook his head.  
  
"No, I mean it Fraser.  I love you.  Your know, as in,  
a kinda romantic way  
sorta thing."  
  
Fraser smiled, and Ray could tell that this was the right thing, the  
best  
thing he could ever have done.  
  
Fraser reached over, mimicking the same action that Ray had done yesterday  
to him.  Only this time, there was no backing off.  
  
Leaning into the touch was so much more than anything Ray had ever  
imagined.  Eyes locked.  
  
"Can I kiss you, Fraser?"  
  
The answer was given when Fraser took a step forward, pressing his lips  
against his.  
  
Soft.  The only word that could form in Ray's mind was 'soft'.   
"God, Ben,  
you taste so..."  
  
Fraser's hand was pulling at Rays belt, pulling him off the table, getting  
him to his feet and closer to him.  
  
"I want you.  I have wanted you for so..."  
  
"I know, Fraser.  Me, too."  
  
Fraser stumbled backwards a little, Ray moving with him, his hands no  
longer under his control, as they tried to be everywhere on Fraser's  
body  
at once, their tongues exploring each other, tasting the taste  
that was  
unique to each of them, the other finding it as erotic  
as they had each  
known it would be.  
  
Ray pulled back a little, breathless and happy.  
  
"You need to loose that red, Fraser.  Now."  
  
Fraser looked at the door.  "But, Ray..."  
  
Ray was about to complain, when a smile on Fraser's face stopped him.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, who said that I had to be the one to lose the clothes?   
In fact..."  
  
Ray's eyes widened as Fraser's hand went to his zip, then to his buttons  
and soon his trousers where down and around his ankles and Fraser  
was  
kneeling in front of him.  
  
"Fraser, I've wanted this for so long, but here...?"  
  
Fraser managed to drag his eyes away from the enlarged cock that was  
in  
front of him to look at Ray.  "I don't think they mind,  
Ray."  
  
"Yeah, but...Ohhhh, dear God!"  
  
Fraser's soft wet mouth had covered the slightly weeping head, one hand  
taking the base, the other cupping his balls as he gently massaged  
them.  
  
Rays hands tried to run through Fraser's hair, but the sensation building  
up through him was something he'd been denied for so long that all  
he could  
do was place them on his head.  
  
He could barely contain himself, but he hardly heard his own voice,  
pleasure after pleasure filling him.  
  
Too long since anything but his own hand ensured that Ray wasn't long  
in  
coming.  
  
"Fraser!  Oh, Jesus!  Ben!"  
  
Ray's head went back, hitting the wall, but he never noticed.  All  
he could  
feel was Fraser's hands and mouth, and suddenly he called  
out Fraser's name  
as he shot straight into his mouth.  
  
Slowly he came back down to earth, Fraser taking every last drop he had  
to  
give.  
  
"Ray?"  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
Fraser smiled at that.  
  
"Ray!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Someone's coming."  
  
Ray smiled.  
  
"No, someone just came and it was...wow...maybe lickin' stuff has  
its  
upside after all.  You must get a lot of practice with  
that tongue, Frase,  
cause that was...wow."  
  
"Ray, someone is actually....Ahh, Detective Dewey, Detective Huey.   
How  
nice to see you."  
  
Ray jumped slightly, looking down to find his clothes had been pulled  
back  
up on him.  He smiled at the two Detectives.  
  
"Need something?"  
  
Huey looked like the cat that had got the cream.  "Nah, just  
wanted to make  
sure Fraser found you."  He grinned at  
Dewey, and held out his hand.  
  
Dewey looked annoyed as he fished in his pockets and produced a set of  
car  
keys handing them to Huey.  
  
"Catch you guys tomorrow."  
  
Ray held the door open for them, and then followed them out with Fraser  
into the hall.  
  
"Not if I can help it.  Late shift tonight, day off tomorrow.   
I plan to  
lie in bed all day."  He turned to Fraser.   
"It's your day off tomorrow  
too, right?"  
  
Dewey and Huey walked off, arguing between themselves.  Fraser waited  
until  
he could no longer hear them before replying, leaning in close.  
  
"So it is, Ray."  He yawned, and then, much to Ray's surprise  
he licked his  
lips.  "I was planning on eating more of  
a new delicacy I just discovered  
tonight.  It was very...enjoyable,  
but I too am also feeling very tired.  I  
was thinking of having  
a day of rest myself."  
  
Ray leaned closer, running a hand over Fraser's chest, pausing long enough  
to attempt to rub at one of his nipples through all the layers of  
clothing  
and thick woolen serge.  
  
"It's alright to eat in bed, you know.  In fact, food sometimes  
tastes  
better there."  
  
"Is that so?"  
  
Ray grinned, then quickly stepped over, licking Fraser on the lips.  
  
"Hmmm, you don't taste so bad yourself there, Frase.  Wanna  
see me get the  
full flavor, so to speak?"  
  
Fraser smiled.  "Absolutely, Ray."  
  
Saying that, Fraser walked off, Ray watching him for a second before  
shaking his head in wonder.  "God, but I love Canadian  
food.  Hold up  
there, Frase.  I'm coming."  
  
The End  
  
  



End file.
